Paladin returns to the Carlton Hotel and stops at the desk when Hey
Boy doesn't greet him. The hotel clerk soon admits that he doesn't know
Paladin's specific requirements, and informs him that Hey Boy was
discharged due to absenteeism. Paladin points out that Hey Boy could be
sick, but the hotel clerk says that "these people" can be replaced
without a problem. Disgusted, the gunfighter asks for Hey Boy's address.
When Paladin arrives at Hey Boy's apartment, no one answers the door.
He leaves and a young Chinese woman emerges. She goes to the Mandarin
Galleries import shop, unaware that Paladin is following her. The owner,
Wei Chung, escorts her in and has her go into the back. Paladin comes
in and looks around, and then asks for information on Kim Chan--Hey
Boy's real name. Wei Chang says that he hasn't seen Hey Boy in several
days, and Paladin looks in the back. He invites the girl, Kim Li, to
come out, and says that he knows that she's Hey Boy's sister. Wei Chung
admits that Hey Boy asked them not to let anyone into the apartment
while he was away.
Wei Chung informs Paladin that Hey Boy has
traveled to Utah to find his brother, Kim Sung. The Kim family had to
borrow money to come to China, and Kim Li entered into a marriage
arrangement with an elderly merchant to pay off her debt. The railroad
company paid to bring Kim Sung over in return for a contract of
employment. The company sent Kim Sung to Coldwater, UT, and Kim soon
sent a letter to his brother. In it, he complained that the
superintendent, Maury Travis, was cheating the Chinese workers of their
wages and withholding food. When Sung protested, Travis had him beaten
and Sung sent the letter to Hey Boy asking for his help. Later, Hey Boy
received a second letter from the railroad company... telling him that
Kim Sung died in an accident. Furious, Hey Boy traveled to Coldwater to
find out the truth.
Paladin travels to Coldwater and visits
Travis' office. He looks on as the superintendent tells his foreman,
Brady to force the workers onto the next shift to make up for lost time.
Travis then notices Paladin and invites him into the office to talk.
Paladin presents his card and tells the superintendent that someone is
going to try and kill him, and shows him the second letter to Hey Boy.
The gunfighter warns Travis that Hey Boy wants revenge and offers to
protect him. Travis says that Hey Boy already came after him with a
knife, and he would have killed him but Sheriff Marlow arrested Hey Boy
instead. Paladin prepares to leave and Travis asks who claimed that
Sung's death wasn't an accident. The gunfighter shows him the first
letter with Sung's accusation, but it's in Chinese so Travis assumes
that Paladin is lying. He tells Paladin that Sung was killed in an
accident and that there's nothing suspicious. As Paladin leaves, he
warns Travis that the Chinese have long memories.
At the jail,
Paladin talks to Marlow, who lets him talk to Hey Boy. The
grief-stricken Hey Boy greets his friend and mourns the fact that his
family will never be together. He explains that two of the workers saw
Travis beat Sung to death with a club. However, the workers didn't go to
Marlow because the white men wouldn't believe a Chinese worker. Hey Boy
swears to get revenge on Travis but Paladin warns him that even if he
succeeds, Marlow will try and arrest him for murder.
Marlow
comes in to release Hey Boy, informing them that Travis dropped the
charges. Realizing what Travis is up to, Paladin slips his derringer
beneath Hey Boy's pillow and then accuses him of stealing it. Marlow
finds the gun and reluctantly locks up Hey Boy again. Outside in the
office, Marlow wonders what Paladin is up to and the gunfighter explains
that Travis dropped the charges so he could get at Hey Boy and kill him
as well. Paladin wonders if Marlow looked into Kim Sung's supposed
"accident," and Marlow tells him that he doesn't deal with railroad
business. He figures that he'll be there long after Hey Boy, Paladin,
and the railroad all leave, and that Kim Sung's death has nothing to do
with Coldwater. Marlow tells Paladin that he'll do something if there's
evidence but otherwise it's none of his business.
That night,
Paladin goes to the workers' camp and addresses the workers in Chinese.
He calls on the two witnesses to come forward but no one says anything.
Disgusted, Paladin asks how long they'll take Travis' abuse, and the two
workers finally step forward. However, Brady arrives and orders the
workers back on duty. When he tells Paladin to move off, the gunfighter
refuses and Brady attacks him. Paladin defeats the man and tells the
coolies that he'll be in town if they want to talk to him.
Later, Travis goes into town and finds Paladin playing solitaire at the
saloon. The superintendent orders Paladin out of town, but Paladin
ignores him. Marlow comes in and tells Travis that the coolies are
rioting and are coming into town to kill Travis. Travis calls on the
townspeople in the saloon to help him but they walk away rather than
risk their lives. Marlow tells Travis to get out of the town because as
far as he's concerned, it's railroad business. The superintendent asks
Paladin to protect him and the gunfighter agrees... for $50 an hour in
advance. Travis plays and Paladin invites him to sit down and play poker
with him.
After an hour, Paladin beats Travis repeatedly and
asks him if he wants to pay for another hour. When Travis complains that
Paladin is taking advantage of him, Paladin points out that he's not
doing as well as Travis did by cheating his workers. Travis pays for
another hour of protection and they continue playing for forty-five
minutes. The superintendent finally decides that he doesn't need
Paladin's services. However, when he looks outside, he sees the coolies
marching down the street. Travis tells Paladin to earn his money and
protect him.
Paladin goes outside and confronts the mob. He
sees Hey Boy and tells him to take the workers back to camp. Hey Boy
refuses, telling Paladin to get out of their way. However, Paladin
assures him that when they're in America, they'll follow American law
and receive the protection of the law. He promises Hey Boy that Travis
will pay for his crimes if he's found guilty, but he'll shoot the first
man who attacks the superintendent.
Travis comes out and Marlow
assures him that he's getting his money's worth in protection.
Meanwhile, Paladin calls upon Hey Boy to bring out the two witnesses.
Hey Boy has them come forward and they accuse Travis of killing Kim
Sung. Travis goes for his gun but Marlow draws first. The superintendent
complains that Paladin tricked him, and Paladin assures him that he'll
receive the best possible protection when he's held for murder.
Later in San Francisco, Hey Boy brings his sister to the Carlton. They
thank Paladin for his help and show him an envelope of money that an
anonymous donor sent to Kim Li. In it is enough money for her to pay
back her passage without having to marry. Hey Boy is well aware that
Paladin sent them the money and tries to give it back. Paladin refuses,
saying that Kim Li should find a man worthy of her love and beauty, and
points out that the money came from Travis, not him. Hey Boy gives the
money to Kim Li and Paladin gently kisses her hand.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 10, 2018